Makenzie! Children (and siblings) are encouraged to fill out a slip each month with their guess. (Don’t forget your last name or initial.). The envelope for guesses is on the wall next to the book and toy bins in the Clinic waiting room. The drawing is at the end of the month and a special prize awaits the winner!!

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month
Here are some intersting facts about speech and hearing!

*The smallest bone in the body is the stapes or stirrup located in the ear.
*Famous people who had speech disorders: James Earl Jones, Thomas Jefferson, Julia Roberts,
Tiger Woods.
*One in ten Americans has some form of hearing loss.
*Sitting in front of a speaker at a rock concert can expose you to 120 decibels which will damage
hearinig in 7.5 minutes.
*Early literacy skills (vocabulary, print awareness,letter knowledge, phonological awareness and narrative skills) predict reading and writing success in young children.
*Ears are not only for hearing they also aid in balance.
Conversational Turns Linked to Better Language
According to a study done by cognitive scientists at MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research, children who were involved in more conversational exchanges with their parents had better language skills than those that were just exposed to words. Researcher analyzed every word that was spoken or heard over a 2-day time span. They looked at number of words spoken by the child, number of words spoken to the child, and the number of times there was a back-and-forth exchange. They found that children with a higher number of conversational turns did better on language testing. The children also underwent brain scans that showed increased activity in an area of the brain known for speech production and language processing called Broca’s area. As lead author Rachel Romeo states, “The important thing is not just to talk to your child, but to talk with your child.”

By: Devin Manning MS, CCC/SLP

Summer Schedule!
Please make sure that you have filled out a summer request schedule form if your child will be receiving services this summer.
The link to the google form is HERE

What Are We Blogging about in May?

10 Ways a Speech Language Pathologist Can Help Your Child

Speech-Language Pathologists (or SLPs, as they’re often called) are experts in supporting communication. They work with children who present with a wide range of delays and disorders. You may be surprised to learn just how many areas an SLP can help your child with!(more)